Gustav Goblin

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You're a blessing and we are forever in your debt

So good to see you back in form. The composition and the way you faded the landscape together (light water surfaces, wispy foliage on the water) are great. Rockwork I think could use some spiffing up. The vertical faces are pretty smooth in spots which could be broken up by 3/4 ht Fisch rock pieces and maybe even dr dirt/lily rocks. Some of the color transitions look pretty abrupt as well. Give that cliffside the same painterly finesse as the rest of the landscape and you have a winner.

Gonna take a stab at this.

#1: Xtreme97 (90%)

Everything I live for as a RCT player. Off-the-wall concept executed to near perfection. Seamless blend of crunchy semi-realism and daring aesthetics. Coaster integration leaps and bounds above the rest. Inventive flat rides that complement the theme. This is the kind of RCT I would die to make myself.

#2: barnNID (85%)

Insanely close with Xtreme's; his concept, amount of content, and focus on coaster layout won me over. Still, this was a shock in how intimate and emotional it was. It takes the storytelling route but with a focus on realism to a far more stunning effect than it sounds in a vacuum. For someone who values RCT as an art form, this absolutely nails it. If I could rate it an 88.50%, I would.

#3: monsterbux (80%)

What a shock! So ballsy to take a whack at an architectural style that has barely if ever been tackled before. For a player that just a year ago was getting her feet wet in the NE meta, this is astounding release I'd expect from someone who's been here for at least a decade. Unfortunately, some rushed and unpolished parts prevent this from breaking into Elite tier for me.

#4: Jaguar (80%)

Just bonkers. Such a strong concept with loads of potential and an unmistakably maximalist execution. Aesthetic broad strokes like space stations and starry skies juxtaposed with coral reefs and marine life are supercharged by details like the insane Squidward wormhole. Suffers from being too cluttered and overwhelming at times, but just cracks that 80% threshold.

#5: Mulpje (80%)

Some really detailed and groundbreaking NCSO. What would otherwise be a cliche theme takes on a life of its own thanks to the groundbreaking details within. There's a lot in here I haven't seen done before, and that inventiveness combined with a refreshing atmosphere and beautiful broad strokes makes this worthy of a green name for me.

#6: nin (75%)

I call this a 77.50%; a smidgen better than most 75s but lacking the bravado of a green name. Nothing against this design, of course; such a fun and classically nin idea with a lot of great details that really play into the theme.

#7: Scoop (75%)

Such a cool and vibrant take on the layout and the supporting coaster is easily the best secondary ride of the contest. Unfortunately doesn't come together for me on a macro level due to the map shape and focii not complementing the main coaster and a lot of similar-looking buildings fighting for attention.

#8: Sulakke (70%)

A working man's design. Simple and gets the job done while still being memorable. Little details and simplistic take on crunchy environments work well.

#9: Liampie (65%)

IDK man. Something about this really really tickles me, even for a rushed speedbuild. I just cannot get enough of classic aesthetics, especially in your hands. Despite having an unmistakably John vibe, you still find ways to go above and beyond by using disconnected paths as easy crunch. I really do think this was worth Design.

#10: Otter (65%)

What a fun and unique entry, even if directly tied to an IP. I liked the aesthetic a lot more than many voters it seems. It borrows a lot of realistic techniques despite the pastel overlay to a very strong effect. A shame the clock got the better of you, leading to some mishaps and lack of polish.

#11. AJ (65%)

Slay. A no-nonsense NCSO-ish design but unmistakably AJ due to the sweeping foliage and carefree attitude throughout. Impressive for a speedbuild, but having watched you piss out half a park in a day or two multiple times on H05 it's not exactly surprising either.

#12. Lurker (65%)

He is a machine and nothing he makes ever gets old. Really fun take on the design with a retro feel and a gorgeous anti-centerpiece in the middle. Some bits didn't come together for me as well as others, but all in all I would call it a design.

#13: Milo (60%)

Always a joy to see you enter. The classic aesthetic works, but it doesn't come together as well as Liam's for me. Some choices like the fenced-off nothing near the edge and the dark brown paths were a little off-putting to me. I feel really bad putting this below the Design threshold, but those big macro strokes make a world of difference for me.

#14: Ge-Ride (55%)

Hate to put such a creative design last. Love the story-based approach and the abstract aesthetic. Unfortunately the broad macro strokes and story elements weren't as cohesive as they could have been, and at times I was wishing it went a little more in on the abstractness.

Hats off to all fourteen builders for some good-ass RCT across the board and to the admins for hosting such a smooth and successful contest. Would have been fun to enter but other commitments and lack of inspiration with the layout made me fine sitting out. The top two entries have really reignited my passion for this game and what can be done in it!

I'm gonna cry dude.

Ever since I really got myself integrated with NE post-H2H9, I've always seen RCT as a really funny form of visual art. Even realistic and mundane releases are still from the perspective of its creator. Still, some daring parkmakers with vibrant visions turn the 25 year-old theme park game into an isometric canvas, painting master strokes that speak to their tastes, interests, and for some, their personal experiences. The sentiment of RCT as art has not been truer in a long time than now, as a realism star missing that big solo release explodes into the limelight while becoming a master in conceptual storytelling. I knew barnNID was Elite-level with every screen he posted (and when he whooped my ass in Micro Madness) and now all of you are seeing it for yourselves. Who I once called NE's most underrated parkmaker is now a legend in his own right.

+ It's funny how this contest bookended itself with artistic entries that use the coaster as a linear progression through a storyline. Where this one excels is finding a perfect balance and nuance. Too simple or explicit and it lacks power. Too esoteric and it can leave viewers confused. Farewell presents itself almost like a scrapbook, with cobbled-together memories accompanied by brief captions and vague thoughts that offer almost enough context. Realistic scenes are augmented by artistic flourishes such as every peep outside of the couple being shadowed and out of focus, merely extras to the couple's story. Look closely and you'll see that only two peeps ever ride The Wanderer, not just a connecting fabric but a representation of the relationship itself. As AntonStengel said, it goes through ups, downs, twists, and tragically a conclusion. Despite this, it leaves some parts ambiguous. How did the relationship come to an end? Is the final sunset the end of the storyline, or does the One Woman Show hint at an uglier and less poetic finish? I have never seen a larger collective emotional response to a RCT park and it's because it strikes this balance perfectly. Absolutely ballsy to commit to something this personal and it results in one of the finest examples of story-based RCT ever made.

+ But oh, just because a park is le artistique doesn't mean it's well built by default! Hahahahaha anyway the actual quality of this build is astounding. On all fronts from landscape to architecture, the detail is just through the roof. The half diagonal ski lift is freakishly good. The Grand Theater is insane. The zoo and Muskoka Stars buildings are seamless. So many different types of landscapes and you hit a grand slam with every single one. I usually touch on architectural and landscape highlights separately but I don't think I can here. The quality is beyond reproach no matter where you look.

+ Still, I want to specifically pay attention to the little scenes throughout. Turn on that OpenGL zoom for this bad boy. When you really soak in the liveliness of each scene, it really does feel like a movie. Shoutout to the scene of the couple dancing in front of the crowd of shadowy peeps; that one just gets me dude.

+ I am thoroughly tickled by the fact that the emotional piano score that turns the atmosphere of this design up to 11 is from a RPG Maker game. Finding Paradise for those curious! I haven't played it or its iconic prequel To The Moon and had to look up Kan R. Gao since I wasn't familiar with him initially. As someone who's dabbled with the engine (and won a game jam with it #humblebrag), it's nice to see this relatively niche genre turn up in this community. Indie games, man.

? The coaster takes a backseat admittedly, which I think is a bit of a drawback for a Design Challenge. As I've said, it feels less like a star attraction and more like a way to connect all these fragmented memories together. I do think there is a little bit of a disconnect between the progression of the coaster and the events on the map. While the coaster starts and ends at the church, the map itself seems to progress linearly from the church to the beach. Or does it? Maybe the scrapbook-style feel lends to the ambiguity of it all, leaving you to put the pieces together and figure it out. Still, the way it interacts with each scene is admirable.

- If I had to say anything remotely negative about this design, the map edge does leave something to be desired. Floating water surfaces and hastily buried Fisch rocks are nowhere near as elegant as the standard the rest of the map sets.

Congratulations on winning NEDC, congratulations on Elite Parkmaker, and most of all thank you so much for being trusting and vulnerable enough to spill this part of your life onto our favorite isometric canvas for us to experience with you. We are so lucky to have you Daylan.

From 2011 to now, you just might be NE's greatest success story. No other parkmaker has gone from 10% accolade scores and the dreaded atrocious work tag to shattering the 90% barrier and winning Elite Parkmaker while being an admin! Your style has recently been defined by crunchy photorealism juxtaposed with game-breaking artistic concepts. It couldn't be more true here, as this ancient treasure map explodes into lively tropical locales. I die for these kind of concepts executed to this level. I think this is my favorite design of the contest, just by a hair over barnNID's.

+ The treasure map is insane. Such a clever usage of so many different objects that lend to a seamless aesthetic. The cel-shaded islands, mini sea serpent, compasses, and sextant really take it over the top. I also love how the edge is tattered and torn, lending to its authenticity. Reminds me a lot of that coaster brochure I did for that building challenge almost four years ago now.

+ Unbelievable archi. Absolutely love the fades on the fortress. La Baia is such a cozy little cove with all the colorful Colonial buildings.

+ Best coaster integration of the entire contest. Whether snaking over wooden paths or diving under rock arches, it really does feel like it's supposed to be there.

+ Supporting rides all play their part and have a unique identity. The Dancing Dragon is one of the more inventive flat rides I've seen in recent times. Incredible use of CTRs.

+ Landscaping is insane on all fronts. Highlight is absolutely the towering cliffs and waterfalls that form a dramatic backdrop for the first drop and loop. Zooming in, black lilypads as rocks is such an interesting object choice.

+ I can't get over how the sea serpents have a consistent design throughout. Great little detail that really makes this map feel like its own world.

? For some reason I'm not entirely crazy on the black rocks. I played with a few other colors but nothing else seems to click. I almost feel like it should have been a very dark gray, just a smidgen lighter than the black that made it into the release. Not a huge deal though, and I do appreciate the way the black contrasts against the rest of the map. Almost feels like a blank space dividing the two halves of the map.

- Should've nixed the Summer style music on Espresso Spin. It creates a lot of musical clutter as Mystic Style is still audible from La Baia.

- I kinda wish the log flume's drops were a bit more of a moment! They barely poke out from the back of the map and the splashdowns are completely hidden. It's hard to notice much of the ride outside of the moments where it travels by map.